The Second International Conference in the History of Medicine in Southeast Asia with the theme Treating Diseases and Epidemics in Southeast Asia over the Centuries intends to explore how the inhabitants of Southeast Asia faced the ravages of innumerable diseases and epidemics over the ages. Adopting a liberal time frame (prehistoric to modern times), participants are encouraged to trace the development of medical and religious responses to diseases and the devastation of epidemics. Further lines of thought are offered for deliberation, viz. "How did the peoples fight off diseases that might spell their extinction?"; "What did communities do to prevent the spread of certain illnesses?": "Were European colonial administrations more successful in disease containment than indigenous authorities?" These are just some of the questions that deserve attention.

Deadline for Abstracts: 1 May 2007

Deadline for Working Papers: 15 November 2007

Individual Participants: Individuals are invited to present a 20-minute working paper relevant to any aspect of the conference's theme. They are requested to submit an abstract (150-200 words) to the Secretariat.

Specialized Panels: Scholars who wish to organize a panel (4-5 presenters; 1-hour per panel) based on a particular topic relevant to the conference's overall theme are to submit to the Secretariat the following materials:

This panel invites papers that present original case materials from particular ASEAN states to explain and analyze how globally originated policies on cultural diversity and cultural management affect national and local practices. In particular we are interested in UNESCO's policies associated with world heritage sites and intangible heritage, and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) which aims to protect Traditional Knowledge, Traditional Cultural Expression, and Genetic Resources. We particularly welcome papers that address different aspects of cultural production, including the plastic and performing arts, "folk" performance, musical composition, and film, but papers about intellectual property and genetic resources which consider the uses of plants and medical traditions would also be welcome. …